1967 stereo version

The theme is written in a 5
4 time signature, which Schifrin has jokingly explained as being “for people who have five legs”.[1] Schifrin started from the Morse code for M.I. if a dot is one beat and a dash is one and a half beats, then this gives a bar of five beats, exactly matching the underlying rhythm.
The first notes of the theme are played by a flute using a trill. Schifrin’s working title for the song was “Burning Fuse